Sheet reversing mechanism



Jam; 10, 1939.

SHEET REVERSING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 17, 1936 INVENT OR.

BY M $11 47;

ATTORNEYS A. E. SCHUBERT 2,143,800

Patented Jan. 10, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SHEET REVERSING MECHANISM Alvin E. Schubert, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 17, 1936, Serial No. 116,363

3 Claims.

This invention relates to photography and more particularly to a sheet reversing mechanism for the enlarging printer shown in the patent to R. S. Hopkins, Number 2,033,712, dated March 10, 1936, whereby the sensitized sheet is discharged from the printer with emulsion side up.

When printing with the above-mentioned printer, the sensitizedsheet is first exposed to the printing operation, after which it is automatically discharged through the delivery chute onto a conveyor belt, and thence to the developing bath. Due, however, to the particular arrangement of the printing mechanism, the sensitized sheet in the above-mentioned printer was discharged into the developing bath emulsion side down, thus exposing the back of the sheet to the operator. In many cases, particularly when there were a large number of prints in the developing bath, the operator often would fail to reverse some of the prints to turn the emulsion side up. The result was that these prints would be overdeveloped while the operator was still waiting for an image to appear on the back of the sheet. Such overdeveloped prints constitute an avoidable waste of expensive sensitized printing paper.

In order to overcome this disadvantage, the present invention provides a new and novel chute arrangement in which the sensitized sheet is automatically flipped over or reversed during its passage through the chute so that the sheet will a delivery chute from which the sheet is delivered with the emulsion side up. Another object is the provision of such a chute in which the sensitized sheet is automatically reversed or flipped over during its passage through the chute. A further object is the provision of a chute of the class described which is provided with a baifie member which deflects the sheet to reverse or flip the latter during its passage through the chute. A still further object is the provision of a sheet reversing mechanism in which there are no moving parts. Still, another object is the provision of a chute having a sheet reversing mechanism which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and highly efiective in use.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combination of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a partial vertical sectional view of the above-mentioned printer with the platen in the printing position, showing a portion of the sheet reversing mechanism constructed in accordance 5 with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the platen in the elevated or non-printing position, and at the point of discharge the sheet, and showing a delivery chute and a sheet reversing mechanism constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Similar reference numerals throughout the various views refer to the same parts.

The invention comprises broadly a chute adapted to discharge separate sheets of strip material. The chute is arranged so that the strip, during its passage through the chute, is reversed or flipped over so as to be discharged with the treated or emulsion side up. In the present illustration, the chute is shown as applied to the enlarging printer disclosed in the above-mentioned patent to R. S. Hopkins, and is arranged to discharge the sensitized paper sheet emulsion side up, in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described. The use of such a chute with an enlarging printer is by way of illustration only, as it is contemplated that such a chute arrangement is adapted to wide variety of uses. As this enlarging printer is fully and completely described in Patent Number 2,033,712, to R. S. Hopkins, dated March 10, 1936, only so much of the printer as applies to the present invention will be herein described.

Referring now to Fig. 1, wherein is shown an upper table top 6 which is carried by a suitable supporting member, not shown. This table top carries a plate 1 having a cut-out opening ll, which will be referred to as the printing panel and which defines the size of the prints which are made. The printing panel B is a large opening formed in the plate i, there being spaced from the large opening a series of small openings 9. The purpose of these openings 9 is to permit the paper engaging hooks Ii) to pass through the 45 openings when the platen is lowered to hold the paper flat for exposure.

In Fig. 2 the platen H, which is shown in an inoperative or raised position, is carried by the parallel arms l2 pivoted at [3 and It to the 50 upper table top 6. These arms are extended at it to support, on the pivots E5, the focusing or locating plate It.

The platen H is provided with four brackets ll, only two of which are here shown, to which 55 the hooks it are pivoted at l8. These hooks are engaged by springs, not shown, which tend to hold the hooks to with the ends lying beneath the pad 2t positioned on the bottom of the platen H. The platen, when in the printing position, as shown in Fig. l, is'adapted to press the sheet of paper P flat for exposure.

As shown in the drawing, the hooks l8 pivoted to the rear edge of the platen H are provided with elongated arms 2! adapted to contact with stops 22 carried by the bracket 23. Thus, when the platen H is moved to an inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 2, the two rear hooks it will be swung counter-clockwise to release the rear edge of the sheet of sensitized paper P so that the sheet will drop, emulsion side down, onto the inclined slide 2Q from which it will slide to the sheet reversing mechanism, generally indicated by the numeral 28, and hereinafter more fully described. From the reversing mechanism, the sheet is discharged into a channelshaped chute 2! down which the sheet slides, emusion side up, to the developing bath or to some other suitable point.

When the platen ii is moved from the inoperative position as shown in Fig. 2, to the operative position as shown in Fig. l, the hooks it pass through the small openings 9 in the plate I, snapping onto the sheet P which may be laid over the opening 8. After the exposure has been made and the platen returned to the position shown in Fig. 2, the hooks it carry with them the sheet of paper P centered beneath the platen I 1, until the rear hooks iii are released by the arm 2i striking against the stop 22 as above described.

The light beam is provided by the optical system shown in Fig. 1 in which a lamp 30 is carried in a socket 3i. Behind the lamp 3B is a reflector 32 and in front of the lamp is a pair of condensing lenses 33. A light diifusing medium 34 may be provided, if desired. This diffusing medium is secured, in any suitable and well-known manner, in the lamphouse 35. A mirror 35 is mounted in adjusted position on the spring carrier 37.

Above the mirror 38 is a second set of condensing lenses 38 which project a beam of light through the masking opening 39. The light beam then passes through the small negative F held in a suitable negative carrier generally indicated by the numeral do. The image on the negative F is then projected through the objective ll to the sensitized surface of the paper sheet P held in position on the printing panel 8.

All of the above constructions, with the exception of the sheet reversing mechanism 26, are clearly and fully described in the abovementioned patent to R. S. Hopkins, and do not constitute a part of the present invention.

The present invention is embodied in the present instance, by way of illustration, in a sheet delivery chute, part of which is arranged to obstruct the path of the moving sensitized sheet so as to deflect the latter to flip it .over so that the sheet will be discharged emulsion side up. Referring now to Fig. 2, it is seen that when the sheet P has been disengaged from the platen H it will be discharged onto the inclined slide 24 as indicated by the dotted line. When the sheet is thus discharged, the emulsion side thereof is down, or in contact with the upper surface of the slide 26, as will be evident from an inspection of the drawing.

From the slide 24, the sheet P is discharged into a channel-shaped member, generally indicated by the numeral 49. This member is formed from a piece of sheet material, preferably metal, to provide a back 50 and side walls In the present embodiment, the member 49 is preferably integral with and depends, in a position slightly inclined rearwardly from the vertical, from the slide 24 as clearly illustrated in the drawing. The lower end of this channelshaped member is bent at 55 to form an upturned restraining or obstructing portion 56 which preferably extends the full width of the channel-shaped member 49. The portion 56 is arranged to engage and hold the lower edge of the sheet P when the latter is discharged in the channel-shaped member so as to permit the sheet P to fall or flip over to bring the emulsion side up, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 and to be presently described.

In order to direct the sheet P into the channelshaped member 29, the present invention provides a battle or deflecting member Bil which is secured to the bracket 23 in any suitable or wellknown manner. The baflle 80 is substantially parallel to the back wall 5% of the member 49, and is positioned in the path of the sheet P as it slides down the slide 24. It is apparent from inspection of Fig. 2 that as the sheet P slides down the member 24, the forward edge SI of the sheet will engage the baffle (ill whereby the sheet is deflected to bring the edge 6| thereof into the bend 55 of the member 49, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. To assist in the deflecting or flipping of the sheet and to insure proper discharge of the edge 6! thereof into the bend 55, the lower end of the baffle 66 is bent to the left or toward the member 49, as shown at 62, Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 2, it is seen that the channel-shaped member 59 and the baffle 63 are substantially parallel and are inclined slightly to the right. These members are thus inclined so that when the sheet P is discharged, as shown at 65, Fig. 2, the sheet will lean slightly to the right so that the upper part thereof will fall to the right as indicated at 66 and 61, Fig. 2, the lower edge being held in place by the upturned portion 56. As the sheet thus falls or flips over, the emulsion side of the sheet will be turneduppermost. It has been found that if the member 49 and baiiie 6t are inclined to the vertical approximately 20 degrees the flipping or reversing operation will be effectively performed. The upturned member or flange 56 is also preferably turned at approximately 20 degrees from the horizontal.

With the members in this position, the sheet can readily and easily slide down the slide member 24 and will be deflected or turned by the baflle til into the channel-shaped member Q9. The sheet then being positioned as shown at 65, Fig. 2. As the sheet is thus inclined, it will fall to the right to bring emulsion side up, the advantage of which arrangement has been pointed out above.

After a sheet P has been flipped over, as shown at 6?, Fig. 2, it falls oil the inclined portion 56 and drops into the inclined channel-shaped slide or chute 2? along which it moves to a conveyor belt or directly to a developing bath. While the chute 2? hasbeen shown separate from the member 59, this is by way of illustration only, as it is contemplated the chute 2? may be detachably secured to or made integral with the member 49 if so desired.

As the member 49 and the baflle 60 cooperate with the chute 2! to form a definite path along which the sheet P moves, these members may all be broadly considered as a delivery chute in which a deflecting or reversing mechanism is arranged to turn or flip the sheet to discharge the latter emusion side up.

The device operates as follows: After the sheet P has been exposed, the platen H is raised to the position shown in Fig. 2 at which time the rear hooks Iii engage the stops 22 to release the sheet. The released sheet P then drops onto the slide 24 and moves downward there-along until it engages the baffle Bil which directs sheet into the bend of the member 49, as shown at 55, Fig. 2. The sheet P thus stands in an inclined position in the bend 55, and then falls, under the force of gravity, to the right, as indicated at 66 and 57, Fig. 2 to turn or flip the emulsion side up. After the sheet has thus been flipped over it falls ofi" the upturned members 56 and onto the inclined chute 2'5 along which it slides to the developing bath or to some other suitable point.

It is apparent from the above description that the present invention provides a new and novel delivery chute which automatically reverses the sheet during its passing through the chute whereby the sheet is delivered emulsion side up. It is also apparent that the reversing mechanism does not in any way interfere with the free passing of the sheet through the chute.

While one embodiment only has been shown, this is by way of illustration only as it is contemplated that the invention idea may be carried out in a number of ways without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A chute for delivering a sheet of strip material, comprising, in combination, an inclined slide member adapted to receive said sheet, a section depending from said member, a bafile intermediate said member and said section and in the path of said sheet to engage an edge thereof to change the direction of movement of said sheet, a restraining member positioned adjacent the lower end of said section in position to receive said edge and to hold the latter to permit said sheet to be reversed, and means on said bafile for directing said edge to said restraining means.

2. A chute for delivering a sheet of strip material comprising, in combination, an upright portion and an inclined portion associated with said upright portion, a battle adjacent said upright portion and in the path of said sheet to change the direction thereof, a deflector on said upright portion arranged to receive and hold an edge of said sheet to reverse the latter, and means on said baffle for directing said edge to said deflector.

3. A chute for delivering a sheet of strip material comprising, in combination an inclined slide member along which said sheet moves, an L- shaped portion positioned below said member and formed to provide an upright section and a downwardly inclined section adjacent the lower end of said upright section, a bafile positioned intermediate said member and said portion to change the direction of movement of said sheet, a flange on the lower end of said upright section adapted to receive and hold an edge of said sheet to reverse the latter, and guide means integral with said bafile for directing said edge into said flange.

ALVIN E. SCHUBERT. 

